Pallet

ABSTRACT

A stackable pallet device for use in the transportation of goods includes a flat body having an upper face and a lower face. The upper face is open to a plurality of substantially hollow and elongate support members depending from the lower face of the flat body for forming the lower side of the pallet device. The elongate support members are shaped so that stackable pallet devices can nest one above another.

AREA OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the area of transport of goods whether by landor sea or air where such goods are customarily transported on pallets.In particular the invention relates to a multi purpose pallet which canbe used in relation to a plurality of transport means and for a varietyof applications.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

There are many pallets available of different designs for stacking andtransporting goods. These are generally flat topped and are providedwith support devices below to raise them above any surface that may beplaced on such that fork lift tines and the like can be used to lift thepallets.

Different pallets have customarily been designed for specificapplications and as a result there is little uniformity of design ordimensions. For example the pallet strength required for certain goodsmay differ greatly from that required for others.

As a result goods during transit may have to be loaded and unloaded frompallets suitable for shipping container travel to ones suitable fortrucking and so on.

In addition such pallets need to be returned to their place of departureor, alternatively be destroyed as is often the case with wooden pallets.The latter course is costly however wooden pallets occupy a large volumewhen loaded for return and are costly to transport unused. Anotherdisadvantage with wooden pallets is that they are prone to damage.

An alternative option is to use plastic pallets. These are much moredurable than wooden pallets but are more costly and have the samedisadvantages with respect to returning to their place of origin as dothe wooden pallets.

To some extent the latter problem can be ameliorated by the provision ofstackable pallets however those known in the art to date tend to beprovided with nested “leg” type supports which are vulnerable to damageand prevent appropriate storage on racking as fork tines cannot passunder the pallets of that type of design.

OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a pallet device for use asa pallet in the transportation of goods which pallet device can bestacked when not in use in a relatively compact fashion such that aminimal volume is occupied during transport of unloaded pallets.

It is also an object of the invention that the pallet device of theinvention be stackable but also be provided with interlocking means bothfor use as a pallet and for other applications.

It is a further object of the invention that the pallet device of theinvention have the requisite strength for carrying most loads of a typecustomarily transported on pallets and be able to be used for virtuallyall desired goods pallet transport applications.

The invention is a stackable pallet device for use in the transportationof goods said pallet device including a flat body having an upper faceand a lower face, the upper face being open to a plurality of generallyhollow and elongate support members depending from the lower face of thepallet body to form the lower side of the pallet device, the elongatesupport members being shaped such that the pallet devices can nest oneabove the other.

It is preferred that the generally elongate support members be situatedadjacent a first side and an opposing second side of the pallet and thata third elongate support member be positioned parallel to and betweenthese members.

It is further preferred that the hollow part of each elongate memberdepending from the lower face of the pallet include a hollow centralwell component joined at each side to an offset hollow foot device by ahollow wall of approximately half the depth of the central well therebydefining a gap through which fork lift tines may pass.

It is also preferred that each foot device be offset just to a side ofthe well.

It is preferred that the undersides of two pallet devices caninterengage to form a unitary stronger pallet unit.

It is further preferred that this connection be effected byinterengagement of the elongate support members of two pallet devices.

It may be further preferred that these pallet devices be fastenedtogether by connection means, the precise means not being restricted inthe invention.

It may also be preferred that the pallet devices be attachable to othercontainers for use as removable connectors.

It is further preferred that the pallet device be provided withadditional reinforcement means where required.

It may be preferred that the periphery of the pallet device bereinforced with a metal or other boundary.

It may also be preferred that reinforcement means be applied to the baseof the walls between the well and feet of the elongate support members.

It is preferred that the pallet devices be manufactured from a mouldedplastic type material.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood we shalldescribe by way of non limiting example a particular embodiment of theinvention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 Shows a perspective view of the lower side of the pallet deviceof the invention;

FIG. 2 Shows a perspective view of the lower side of the pallet deviceof the invention with skid devices provided on the base of the elongatemembers;

FIG. 3 Shows an upper plan view of the pallet device;

FIG. 4 Shows two pallet devices, one inverted and rotated through 180degrees;

FIG. 5 The pallet devices of FIG. 4 when interengaged;

FIG. 6 The concept shown in FIG. 5 as applied to other devices;

FIG. 7 Shows the compact stackibility of the pallet devices;

FIG. 8 Shows the pallet devices stacked for rack storage;

FIG. 9 Shows stacked paired pallet devices;

FIG. 10 Shows a perspective view of the pallet device of the inventionwith various reinforcement means;

FIG. 11 Shows a plan view of the pallet device of the invention withreinforcement means in situ;

FIG. 12 Shows a compressive means of fastening the reinforcing means tothe pallet device;

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a pallet device for use in the transportation ofgoods which pallet is preferably dimensioned such that it is able to beused for the entire journey of such goods both within a country andinternationally. The precise dimensions of the pallet device are howevernot restricted in the invention,

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the pallet device ismanufactured from a synthetic material such as a plastic which is bothstronger and lighter than pallets of other materials such as a wood andless prone to environmental and other damage. An important feature ofthe invention is the stackable nature of the pallet devices whichminimises the volume occupied by the pallet devices when stacked fortransport.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is a single pallet devicewhich functions as an improved pallet in yew of the prior art and isused in the transportation of goods.

The pallet device 10 of the invention as shown in FIG. 1 includes a flatbody 15 with periphery 14 having an upper face 16 and a lower face 17,the upper face 16 being open to a plurality of generally hollow andelongate support members 20 depending from the lower face 17 of thepallet body to form the lower side of the pallet device, the elongatesupport members being shaped such that the pallet devices can nest oneabove the other as shown in FIG. 7.

Although the number of elongate support members used is not restrictedin the invention It is preferred that one such member be situatedadjacent a first side and a second member be situated along an opposingsecond side of the pallet with a third elongate support memberpositioned parallel to and between these members as shown in theaccompanying Figures.

While the precise shape of each hollow elongate support member is alsonot restricted in the invention it is preferred that each memberdepending from the lower face of the pallet include a hollow centralwell device 30 joined at each side to an offset hollow foot device 50 bya hollow wall device 40 of approximately half the depth of the centralwell thereby defining a gap 45 through which fork lift tines may pass.

While the support members are generally elongate as shown in FIG. 3 eachfoot device is offset just to a side of the well such that when onepallet device is inverted over the lower face 17 of a pallet device androtated through 180 degrees the lower faces of these two pallet devicescan interengage as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Provision for fastening thesedevices together is made using reinforcing plates 60 and 65 withconnection members 70 which in this preferred embodiment of theinvention are screw means although the precise means is not restrictedin the invention.

By this means two pallet devices can interengage to form a unitarystronger pallet unit.

In a further embodiment of the invention the pallet devices may beattached to other containers or devices for use as removable connectorsas shown in FIG. 6.

In addition, if required, the pallet device be provided with additionalreinforcement means as shown in FIG. 10. In particular the periphery ofthe pallet device may be reinforced with a metal peripheral support 80,or other preferred material, about its boundary. An internalreinforcement means 90 in the form of a grid, as shown in FIG. 10, isalso provided as is a strengthening member 100 positioned in the base ofthe wall members.

Such reinforcement is not necessarily essential but may be preferred forcertain applications where additional strength is required. This isdemonstrated in FIG. 11 which shows a plan view of part of thereinforcement system of the invention including fastening means 110 forsecuring the reinforcing to the pallet by compressive means as shown inFIG. 12. Alternatively the reinforcing may be located in the palletdevice during moulding.

The invention provides a sturdy and versatile pallet device which is notprone to the damage which can occur with wooden pallets and the like andis highly transportable.

The invention described is not restricted as to the type of materialsused or the appearance and shape of its component parts and while wehave described herein one particular embodiment of the invention it isto be understood that variations and modifications in the materials usedand the features described can still lie within the scope of theinvention.

1-12. (canceled)
 13. A stackable pallet device for use in transportinggoods, comprising: a flat body having an upper face and a lower face,said upper face being open to a plurality of substantially hollow andelongate support members depending from said lower face of said flatbody for forming a lower side of said stackable pallet device, saidelongate support members being shaped for permitting a first saidstackable pallet device to nest above a second said stackable palletdevice.
 14. The stackable pallet device for use in transporting goodsaccording to claim 13, wherein said elongate support members aresituated adjacent a first side and a second side of said stackablepallet device, said second side being an opposing side relative to saidfirst side, and with an additional elongate support member beingpositioned parallel to, and between, said elongate support members. 15.The stackable pallet device for use in transporting goods according toclaim 13, wherein a hollow part of each elongate support member of saidplurality of substantially hollow and elongate support members dependingfrom said lower face of said flat body includes a central well componentjoined at each side to an offset foot device by a hollow wall ofapproximately half a depth of said central well for defining a gapthrough which fork lift tines are passable.
 16. The stackable palletdevice for use in transporting goods according to claim 15, wherein eachsaid offset foot device is offset to a side of said central well. 17.The stackable pallet device for use in transporting goods according toclaim 13, wherein said lower side of each of two stackable palletdevices are inter-engageable.
 18. The stackable pallet device for use intransporting goods according to claim 17, wherein said two stackablepallet devices are connected with additional connection means wheninterengaged.
 19. The stackable pallet device for use in transportinggoods according to claim 13, wherein said stackable pallet device isattachable to a surface of an object so that said lower side of saidstackable pallet device is usable as an interengagement means with thesurface of the object.
 20. The stackable pallet device for use intransporting goods according to claim 13, wherein said stackable palletdevice is made of plastic.
 21. The stackable pallet device for use intransporting goods according to claim 13, further comprising means forreinforcing structural integrity of said stackable pallet device. 22.The stackable pallet device for use in transporting goods according toclaim 21, wherein said means for reinforcing structural integrity ofsaid stackable pallet device includes reinforcing said stackable palletdevice with a metal band.